Herbes De Provence Recipe

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

If you are lucky enough to have been to France, you know the food is exquisite. This is especially true in the area of Provence. The region is known for many fine foods as well as a lovely dried herb blend called herbes de Provence. You can buy this blend at most grocery stores in the spice section, but you can just as easily create your own batch by following this simple herbes de Provence recipe created by Miriam Hahn. 

"I use a lot of spices in my cooking because of the flavor they add and because of the many health benefits. I love creating my own spice blends because they are fresher than store-bought versions, and it is more budget-friendly," Hahn shares.

You can add this wonderful herbes de Provence spice blend to marinades, meats, roasted vegetables, soups, stews, rice, and countless other dishes. It gives your food the special taste of France, and honestly, what can be better than that?

Hopefully, you have your spices organized in your cabinet because you will be using nine different spices in this delicious spice blend. You will need dried herbs, including basil, fennel seed, marjoram, mint, oregano, rosemary, savory, tarragon, and thyme. The only spice that may be unfamiliar to some is savory. It adds a slightly peppery taste that complements the other herbs nicely. 

You also have the option to add dried lavender. It isn't typical in France, but has been added to some North American versions. "I think it adds a perfume taste to the blend, so I prefer to leave it out," Hahn remarks.

Using a spice grinder, clean coffee grinder, or mortar and pestle, grind the rosemary and fennel until it reaches a semi-fine texture. Then, mix together the freshly ground rosemary, fennel seeds, thyme, marjoram, savory, basil, mint, oregano, tarragon, and optional lavender until combined. 

Once you have finished mixing your spices, you can use what you need right away or store the blend in an airtight container in the pantry for up to 6 months. Hahn likes to use 4-ounce glass jars for spice blends. "Don't forget to label the jar so you remember what's in there."

• Old-Fashioned Beef Stew Recipe
• Garlic Herb Skillet Potatoes Recipe
• Simple Roasted Pork Tenderloin Recipe
• Roasted Veggie And Tomato Lentil Soup Recipe
• Classic Ratatouille Recipe

A spice blend is only as good as its weakest spice, as the saying goes. If you're using ingredients that are two or three years old, the spices won't magically regain their freshness when blended together. If, say, half the spices you use are nearing their expiration date, it won't matter that the other half were bought that same day. Once the old spices lose their muster, the spice blend will taste slightly stale. If freshness is important to you, consider making spice blends only with new spices to prolong shelf life.

That being said, how can you tell if a spice blend has gone bad? Spices and dried herbs will often last a few years before they begin to fade. They should all have an expiration date which you can use as a loose guide, but it doesn't need to be the only way you gauge freshness. The best way to check for freshness is to smell it. Simply open the jar or bottle and give it a good whiff. If the contents still have a strong scent, you're probably fine. As time goes on, spices will lose their potency. So if you find that the contents smell like nothing — or notably weaker than before — you probably don't want to cook with it, let alone add it into your spice blend.

• Homemade Za'atar Blend Recipe
• Homemade Old Bay Seasoning Recipe
• House-Blend Five-Spice Powder Recipe
• Freshly Ground Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe
• Marcus Samuelsson's Berbere Spice Recipe
• Homemade Garam Masala Recipe